Jagan Daughters (#2) and Mark Blair (#21) were honored on Senior Day for their contributions to the Dean College Basketball team. (Photo Courtesy of deanbulldogs.com)
FRANKLIN- In win or go home matchup, Regis College overpowered Dean College 77-70 to earn a GNAC playoff spot. The Rangers finish the regular season at 14-11, while Dean ends at 14-10.
Early in the first half, Regis and Dean appeared evenly matched on both sides of the ball despite initial struggles shooting for both schools. Dean's AJ Weston caught fire early, but as the first half progressed, rebounding became a noticeable struggle for Dean, as Regis was crashing the boards and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities.
Dean’s low shooting percentage also stood as a hurting factor, as Regis drove up their lead and entered halftime up 35-23.
The second half resembled the end of the previous, as although Dean’s shooting improved, Regis remained hot offensively. Dean shortly turned the momentum in their favor, generating more defensive stops and quick offense to get the Bulldogs back in the game. After a cold stretch, Weston once again caught fire and helped cut the Bulldogs deficit to as little as ten.
However, Dean's comeback attempt would fall short as time expired. The Rangers prevailed 77-70, knocking the Bulldogs out of playoff contention .
When asked after the game where his focus now shifts and his expectation for the off-season, coach Cabral stated,
“We will look to bring in another impressive recruiting class for next season. We hope our returners have a strong offseason working on their individual skill sets for next year.”
Following a great season with a bitter ending, Dean looks to be back in the playoffs with hopes of a successful 2023-2024 season.